Why do Arkansas’ screens so often take so long to develop and result in failure?

Why don’t more punt returners call fair catch and bounce the ball off a nearby opponent for a quick 15 yards?

With all the blue and green on Allen’s jersey by the end of the game, which Van Gogh painting did it most closely resemble?

These are all valid things to ask after the game. But the most troubling thing I saw happened just after halftime.

Florida was beginning their drive to open the half when ESPN2 cut to sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung, who reported (in one of the rare instances a sideline reporter has ever dispensed useful information to an audience) that Bret Bielema told her, “my team has lost its confidence.”

To be fair, Bielema didn’t say that on camera, so we don’t completely know the full context of the statement. But regardless of said context, it should be a significant concern.

Even if it was just in reference to the single game, Arkansas was only down by 10 points at halftime. It’s true that nothing went right for the Hogs in the second quarter, but there was still a lot of football to be played. The Gators’ offense only scored 10 points in the first half, and if the Razorbacks had been able to stop Florida on the second half’s opening drive, Arkansas could have given themselves chances to get back in the game.

But Florida then went 75 yards in seven plays for the touchdown, and the Hogs were sloppy the rest of the way. The ensuing possession started with Korliss Marshall stepping out of bounds at the three-yard-line. The Hogs picked up a first down, but a couple of dropped passes later and out came the punt return team. The Hogs did scrape together a field goal drive courtesy of a shanked punt and a pass interference penalty from Florida. But the 30 yard pass to Alex Collins to get into the red zone was a beauty.

Now that the game is over, it’s imperative that Bielema and the coaches work to maintain the team’s confidence going forward. The Razorbacks still have a legitimate chance to reach bowl eligibility. It’s a big challenge, but winning three of the final six games, beginning with hosting South Carolina at home this week, is possible.

An upset over South Carolina would go a long way in setting Arkansas up for a run at bowl eligibility in November. The Gamecocks have been effective this year but haven’t been dominant. They don’t have Florida’s defense, nor do they have A&M’s offense. But they are good. If, and it’s a big if, the Razorbacks can play as well against them as they did against Texas A&M, Arkansas could give themselves a shot. But if they don’t stay positive and put in a good week of practice, it’s hard to see them upsetting anybody.

Confidence was the big worry through the off-season. We knew this middle portion of the schedule would be tough. And for a young team coming off an absolute disaster last year, how well would they be able to handle what is now three straight losses? Has Bielema and his staff been able to strengthen the team’s resolve to be able to overcome these obstacles or are they too fragile from suffering last year’s traumatic experience? Are they mature and experienced enough to think about the season in terms of, “These were really good teams. We have nothing to be ashamed of. Let’s keep working and win some games coming up”? Or is the will to fight dwindling?

It doesn’t seem like an overstatement to say this team is at a crossroads. The regular season is halfway over and they’re 3-3, which is close to what most people expected, just as most people expected that the season’s success would be determined by what happens in November. This midseason gauntlet is about improving, learning from mistakes, and if the team can manage an upset during this stretch, that’s gravy. But that doesn’t make it any easier to suffer through it.

Maintaining the team’s optimism is the biggest challenge Bielema and his staff face this season. Coaches and players will likely say all the right things after their closed practices this week, but when the team goes out in front of their home crowd on Saturday morning, we’ll know.

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Doc Harper is the managing editor of Arkansas Fight and a contributor to Sporting Life Arkansas. You can email him at heydocharper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @doc_harper.

Loss of confidence comes from making mistakes, of course. As a performing artist I know that when you lose confidence, when you get nervous, you lose your sense of timing. I think that was apparent in the out-of-sync passing game. I’m guessing the problems on defense are caused by lack of size and speed and strength, just plain ol athleticism, the inability to recover from getting out of position.

Those last three wins are going to be hard to come by, but they’re possible, considering we have the three weakest remaining foes at home. If we can win three more games, it will have been a successful campaign. Maybe next year we’ll have a better team and a somewhat easier schedule.

Sports Fan

Can’t believe the comments about the punt, especially from people that I thought should know football rules. On a called fair catch, the ball belongs to the return man unless it hits the ground. Period. Sure, you could, as you say, bobble it to your opponent for a quick 15 yards – if they take it in the air – but if it hits the ground, it’s fair game. And I’ll bet the special teams will be coached accordingly going forward.

Doc Harper

I’m not suggesting it wasn’t the right call. But defenders frequently crowd the returner on fair catches in the event of a muffed catch. My comment was meant half-jokingly, but it doesn’t seem beyond reason to consider practicing something like that.

I do think it’s a stupid rule, though. The returner wasn’t hit. He bobbled it into a nearby defender who was in legal position until the ball hit him. That’s not the defender’s fault. If they want to kill the ball in that situation and not grant a turnover, that still makes more sense than tacking on a 15 yard penalty.

omahahog

Now, that I certainly agree with.

stAte

The biggest concern for Arkansas is that they did not have the horses to hang with Florida and it will be that way several more times this year. It is going to be difficult for Beliema to get the kind of defensive linemen and linebackers that he needs to employ a ball control offense and stingy defense like Bama, LSU and Florida. He will get OL and RBs but it will be hard to get quality WR and QBs over the long haul in that system, especially when you have Sumlin, Malzahn and Freeze to compete with inside and outside of the Arkansas borders.

Deltaboy

I believe the Staff will have them ready for SC. To me this is the make or break game, Win and we will go on and get a bowl game. Lose and we will limp into the LSU game to end the season.